The Battle of Rio Salado, also known as the Battle of Tarifa is fought on October 30, 1340, between the armies of King Afonso IV of Portugal and King Alfonso XI of Castile against those of Sultan Abu al-Hasan 'Ali of the Marinid dynasty and Yusuf I of Granada, resulting in a Christian victory. More
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What Happened in October?
Explorations, great battles, and crowned leaders. Discover meaningful events and milestones from October throughout history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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The Treaty of Calais is signed, ending the first phase of the Hundred Years' War between England and France.
Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici formally established the Medici Bank in Florence on October 1, 1397 after becoming the head of the Medici banking business in 1393 when he took ownership of a Roman branch of a bank from his cousin and moved the headquarters to Florence. Giovanni expanded it, eventually becoming the official bank of the papacy.
Henry IV of England is crowned as King of England, after deposing his cousin Richard II on September 30, 1399, marking the beginning of the Lancastrian dynasty.
The Battle of Agincourt takes place on October 25, 1415 near Azincourt, in northern France, during the Hundred Years' War, resulting in a significant English victory over the French.
The unexpected victory of the vastly outnumbered English troops against the French army boosted English morale and prestige, crippled France, and started a new period of English dominance in the war.
The Yongle Emperor of China moves the capital from Nanjing to Beijing, initiating the construction of the Forbidden City.
The Siege of Orléans by the English during the Hundred Years' War with France, begins (October 12, 1428 – May 8,1429), marking a turning point in the conflict. The siege took place at the peak of English power during the later stages of the war, but was repulsed by French forces inspired by the arrival of Joan of Arc.
The Congress of Arras is held, aiming to negotiate peace during the Hundred Years' War.
The Eton College Foundation Charter is signed by King Henry VI on October 11, 1440, It was established as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton" near Windsor.
The assign facilities were a a former parish church converted to a collegiate church and school. The charter also outlined its organizational structure with a Provost, priests, clerks, choristers, and 70 poor scholars to receive free education. i
Gilles de Rais, the Breton nobleman, knight and lord from Brittany, Anjou and Poitou and a leader in the French army during the Hundred Years' is executed after being found guilty ofr crimes including heresy and confessed murder of more than a hundred children. More
The Second Battle of Kosovo takes place between a Hungarian-led Crusader army and the Ottoman Empire at Kosovo field. The three-day battle resulted In the Ottoman army under the command of Sultan Murad II defeating the Crusader army of regent John Hunyadi.
After the battle, the path was clear for the Turks to conquer Serbia and the other Balkan States. With the end of the half-century-long Crusader threat to their European frontier, Murad's son Mehmed II was free to lay siege to Constantinople in 1453.
The Hundred Years' War comes to an end with the recapture of Bordeaux by the French, reclaiming their last possession in the conflict.
The Second Peace of Thorn, also known as the Treaty of Toruń, is signed, ending the Thirteen Years' War and defining the borders between the Teutonic Knights and Poland-Lithuania. Poland gained direct sovereignty over the Teutonic Order's western territories in Prussia, including West Prussia and the Kulmerland, which became Royal Prussia. In return, the eastern territories of the Order remained as a vassal state.
Ferdinand II of Aragon marries Isabella I of Castile on October 19 1469 laying the foundation for Spain to become a world power following the conquest of Granada. ending centuries of Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula. and the sponsorship of Christopher Columbus's voyages.
They enforced Catholicism, established the Inquisition to enforce religious uniformity, leading to the expulsion of Jews (1492) and later Muslims (1502) who refused to convert, solidifying Catholicism as a core part of Spanish identity.
Through strategic marriages of their children, they built powerful alliances, linking Spain to major European houses like the Holy Roman Empire and England. More
King Edward IV of England returns from exile, reclaiming the throne during the Wars of the Roses.
Ivan III of Russia launches the Great Stand on the Ugra River, halting the advance of the Golden Horde.
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Henry Tudor, is officially crowned King of England as Henry VII. He had secured his claim after his victory at the Battle of Bosworth Field on August 22 of the same year. The event marked the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. During his reign, he ended the Wars of the Roses, and increased the power of England by building alliances through his children's marriages and the signing of treaties.
The Malleus Maleficarum, a treatise on witchcraft, is first published in Germany.
Seventy days after departing from Spain on August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus and his crew make landfall in the present day Bahamas archipelago on an island he names San Salvador, marking the European discovery of the Americas.
The Alhambra Decree is issued by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, ordering the expulsion of Jews from the country.